ISPs preparing to punish illegal downloaders

People illegally downloading music and movies could soon face stiff penalties from their Internet service providers, including limited bandwith speeds and controlled access to the Internet.

Some of the U.S. largest ISPs are close to deals with the entertainment industry to crack down on piracy with harsh penalties, according to a story from CNET, citing anonymous sources. Repeat offenders could be forced to attend education programs on copyright law, the story says.

The National Cable and Telecommunications Industry helped broker the deal, which could be officially announced next month, and some of its members include Time Warner Cable, CableVision, Charter Communications, Comcast and Qwest Communications. CNET says not all of the trade group's members will participate in the deal.